The Washington critic., 1887-12-22
COLLECTION or CERAMICS

Nht1Onui muHeum.
The National Museum has Just made
an important acquisition to their ccr-
amic departmcntina collection of china
ware deposited by Alfred L. Hippislcy,
Commissioner of Chinese Imperial Mar
itime Customs. 1t is the finest collec- 4
ton of Chinese porcelain in the United
States, not excepting the famous Waters
collection of Baltimore.
The new exhibit, which occupies
cases, has just been arranged, but the
labels have not yet been made. 1t is
located in the main aisle, between the
door and the fountain, on the west side
of the aisle. The collection embraces
4l5 pieces of porcelain, IS pieces Of
Chinese bronze, pieces of carved
lacquer and Of ivory.
The oldest pieces in the collection are
two made during the Sung dynasty,
from 960 to 1859 One is of thick stone
ware, n box-like dish, about inches
square. The other is crackleware
plate, about the same diameter. The
Yuan dynasty-l260 to 1367--is repre-
scnted by but one piece, plate about
inches in diameter. Then comes the
Ming dynasty-136S-l643 The oldest
piece of this period is an openware
proclaim dish made while Yung-Lo was
Emperor-l403-1424 Asuan-Teh's reign
during the same dynasty--1426-1435-
represented by cups of the style known
as the "ricegrain decoration" which are
very beautiful specimens. The Eng
Woan-Li period-l572 to 1619-is rep
resented by pieces, the Ch'eng- Hwa
--1465 to l4s7-by piece and the
Ch'cng-Teh period also by one. There
are also 10 pieces of the Ming dynasty,
the dates of which are unknown.
OF the Ching dynasty-1624 to date
there are 80 pieces Of the Emperor
Kanghsi period, 81 of the Yung- Chung,
1913 of the Chien-Lung, when the art
was at its best. These are all porcelain
ware. Besides these, in another case,
are very fine specimens of egg-shell
china, which seem as light and fragile
MS if they were veritable egg-shells.
Seven are of the Yung-Lo period, of
the eng-Hwa, IL of the Kanghsi
period, 5 of the Yung-Chung and 4 of
the Ching-Lung period, when china
ware was Mt its bost. In the same case
with the egS-shcll china are five pieces
Of glassware made during the present
dynasty.
TWO DISHES WORTH $1,000.
Probably the most valuable feature of
the collection is a pair of dishes, seven
inches in diameter, valued at $1,000.
They are made of porcelain, and their
especial value is the rich crushed
strawberry" color of the backs showing
through the front, which is plain white,
except for the color shown through from
the back. Another feature is copper
lined fire-pot eighteen inches high, the
Top being made of Chinese Olossene
There are four brown crackleware
bowls of the Yung Chung period that
are very fine. There are also in the
collection two small imperial yellow
plates. Until recently the use of this
Kind of ware was prohibited except by
ypembers of the Imperial family. In
The case with the egg-skell chinaware
are some pieces of the Chinese vitrious
ware, made from 1923 to 1885, that are
very fine, and also some porcelain imi-
tations of the same.
There are also some specimens Of that
peculiar ware, which, when looked at
ordinarily, seems entirely plain; but
when it is held at proper angle with
the light, dragons and various other de-
signs can be plainly seen. In conneQ-
tion with the ceramic display there is a
large collection of Chinese snutf-bottles,
made of various materials, rock crystal,
agate, porcelain and chalcodony Adj
Joining the cases containing the China
ware is a very fine collection of EtrnsGan
pottery, just made by Curator Wilson,
and also what is still more rare, some
piec IS of the moulds used by the an
clients in making pottery. There are
four cases filled with this ware, which
is older than Christ, gathered in various
parts of ancient Eutruria. Some of the
pieces are in an almost perfect state of
preservation, and some pieces exhibit
the ancient method of mending broken
dishes by drilling small holes each side
of the break and fastening the pieces
together with wire Many of the pieces
are quite profusely decorated, and the
decorations on some of them would
make Mr.. Comstock's hair curl.
Across the aisle from the ceramics dis
play new collection is being started
that will be of especial interest to the
ladies' for it is u collection of all styles
and kinds of laces. One side of one
case has already been filed with speci
mems, to each OF which will be attached
label. There is abundant material for
very fine display already collected,
the curatoe now having over ono thou
sand specimens.
The various samples are represented
by small pieces which are placed on q
cloth background in large upright case
where they. can be easily seen.
No one Who is interested either in
ceramics or fine laces should fail to see
The National Museum's collections